NEWS, DECEMBER 22ND

ASPEN, Colo. (AP) – Attorneys for Charlie Sheen’s ex-wife are
seeking to stop a “media frenzy” when she appears in court on
drug and assault charges. Attorneys want to stop a live Internet feed from the courtroom requested by TMZ Productions when Brooke Mueller appears in court Jan. 23. The 34-year-old faces a felony charge of possession of cocaine
with intent to distribute and a misdemeanor assault charge. Police
arrested Mueller Dec. 3 after a woman reported being assaulted by
Mueller at a nightclub. According to police reports, about 5 grams of cocaine was found on Mueller when they contacted her at another nightclub.
Sheen and Mueller divorced earlier this year, saying they broke
up Christmas Day 2009 when Sheen was arrested in Aspen that day on
suspicion of assaulting her.

DENVER (AP) – Education advocates are calling on Gov. John
Hickenlooper to rethink his decision to appeal a court ruling
against the state’s school funding system.
Earlier this month, a Denver judge sided with parents and 21
school districts challenging the funding system, calling it
“irrational and inadequate.” Hickenlooper announced Wednesday
that the state will ask the Colorado Supreme Court to review the
decision. Great Education Colorado was in the middle of collecting
signatures on a petition urging state officials not to appeal at
the time. Spokeswoman Lisa Weil says they had collected over 1,500
signatures from 160 cities across the state.

CRAIG, Colo. (AP) – The Craig Veterans TeleHealth Clinic serving
northwest Colorado and southeast Wyoming is looking for more
patients. Paul Sweeney of the VA Medical Center in Grand Junction, Colo.,
says an open house at the clinic on Thursday is intended to not
only inform veterans of the services available but also to boost
patient numbers. He says there are 300 to 600 veterans in Craig, Colo., that are eligible for care, but not all may know how to enroll in VA health care programs.
The telehealth clinic in Craig uses technology that allows
patients there to be examined remotely by doctors and specialists
in Grand Junction.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) – A Houston company that bought
most of the Banning Lewis Ranch in Colorado Springs has filed for
permits to two wells, the first step by the company to drill for
gas and oil within city limits. Ultra Resources Inc. already plans to
conduct exploratory drilling for gas and oil on three to four sites
in unincorporated areas of El Paso County early next year
Ultra filed its applications with the Colorado Oil and Gas
Conservation Commission on Dec. 15. A decision is expected next
year. Colorado Springs has passed a six-month drilling moratorium that
expires in May. Ultra paid $20 million in October to buy 18,000
acres, most of the Banning Lewis Ranch.

DENVER (AP) – A snow storm affecting most of Colorado has forced
the cancellations of dozens of flights on one of the year’s busiest
travel days. More than 100 flights have been cancelled at Denver
International Airport on Thursday, mainly commuter flights to rural
or mountain towns. Airport officials are also warning that passengers will likely
spend a little extra time on the ground once pushing back from the
gate so their plane can be de-iced. Denver is expected to get about 9 inches of snow before the snow tapers off later in the day.